Cane Bay, Ashley Ridge look to contend

Tyrone Walker
The Post and Courier

Woodland's B.J. Mazyck (21) shifts over to defense after spending last season as the Wolverines' running back.

Region 6-AA will have a completely different look this season.

Hanahan, Manning and Andrews are out. Cane Bay, Ashley Ridge and Woodland are in, joining Bishop England, Burke, and Garrett Tech in what should be a wide-open race.

Bishop England and Woodland rate as the top contenders. The Bishops finished third in the league behind Hanahan and Manning and return 20 lettermen and eight starters from last year's team that finished 7-4.

Woodland comes in from Region 5-AA, where the Wolverines finished 7-3 overall, 3-2 and tied for second in the region.

Despite limited numbers, Garrett Tech and Burke have a great chance to move up.

Cane Bay and Ashley Ridge are new schools that will move to Class AAAA after two years at this level. For now, both are in Region 6-AA and will have to try to get the job done with teams comprised of freshmen and sophomores.

But Cane Bay head coach Jeff Cruce, formerly head coach at Hanahan, says don't count out the newcomers.

"We're the new guys and nobody is going to want to lose to us," Cruce said. "I know Doc Davis at Ashley Ridge feels the same way. But both of us have been involved with championship teams, so we know what it takes. We didn't come into this league to just build toward the move to Class AAAA. We want to compete for a region championship."

WOODLAND WOLVERINES

2007: 7-3, 3-2 (Region 5-AA)

COACH: Reed Charpia (5th season at Woodland)

RETURNING STARTERS: 12 (7 offense, 5 defense)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Robert Smith, WR Marquise Carson, LB B.J. Mazyck, OT Paul Daniels, OT Malik Heath, RB Nagui Wright.

OUTLOOK: The Wolverines look ready to contend for the 6-AA title in their first season in the region. Their game against Bishop England looms big.

NOTES: In a preseason poll by the South Carolina High School Sports Report, the Wolverines are ranked 14th in the state in Class AA. ... Daniels is a three-year starter. Mazyck moves over to defense after starting at running back last season.

BISHOP ENGLAND BATTLING BISHOPS

2007: 7-4, 3-2

COACH: John Cantey (1st season)

RETURNING STARTERS: 8 (4 offense, 4 defense)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: LB/RB Bay Amrhein, TE Bo Deas, C Braxton Horner, FS/RB Martin Fosberry, WR Thomas King, CB/WR Cody Cramer.

OUTLOOK: With Hanahan and Manning out of the picture and a solid nucleus of talent returning, the Bishops should contend with Woodland for the title.

NOTES: Sophomore Mikell Fosberry will be the likely starter at quarterback for the Bishops. ... Amrhein is likely to draw offers from a number of Southern Conference schools. ... Thomas Warren will start at corner and handle the kicking duties.

CANE BAY COBRAS

COACH: Jeff Cruce (1st season at Cane Bay)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR James Bishop, DL Cody Rose, LB Cullen Seabrook, C Cody Nuchia, WR Jared Holloway, QB Brandon Hall, QB Kellin Kuneal.

OUTLOOK: New team comprised of freshmen and sophomores makes things tough, but Cruce knows what it takes to win.

NOTES: Cruce coached former region powerhouse Hanahan before taking the job at Cane Bay. As luck would have it, the Cobras open the season Aug. 29 against Hanahan, a game Cruce scheduled while still coaching at Hanahan. ... Cane Bay had 115 players turn out for the first day of practice.

ASHLEY RIDGE SWAMP FOXES

COACH: Doc Davis (1st season at Ashley Ridge)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: LB/TB Diondre Bannister, QB Cameron Cox, TB/LB Pete Cunningham, OL/DL Ammad Dawson, TE/DE Tre DeLoach, LB/FB Kevin Lester.

OUTLOOK: Ashley Ridge figures to be in for a tough time of it as a new school fielding a team comprised of only freshmen and sophomores, but Davis knows what it takes to win.

NOTES: Davis coached Spartanburg High to five state championships in 18 seasons. ... The Swamp Foxes had 83 players report for the start of fall practice, but even with relatively good numbers, Davis estimates all of his starters except Cox will go both ways.

BURKE BULLDOGS

2007: 3-7, 1-4

COACH: Johnathan Rose (4th season)

RETURNING STARTERS: 8 (8 two-way starters)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB/DB Del'Javon Simmons, RB/LB Michael Heyward, LB/RB Travis Holmes, OL/DL Andre Williams, OL/DL Nathaniel Moten, WR/DB Sidney Sanders.

OUTLOOK: Burke has to battle the numbers game each year, but this year finds some of the numbers favoring the Bulldogs. With eight two-way starters back, the Bulldogs will be a dangerous opponent.

NOTES: Simmons passed for 1,100 yards last season. ... The Bulldogs will likely compete with an 18-man roster, smallest in the region. ... Burke lost three games last season by 14 or fewer points.

GARRETT TECH FALCONS

2007: 2-8, 0-5

COACH: Dirk Thomas (4th season)

RETURNING STARTERS: 12 (5 offense, 7 defense)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB/LB Deron Robinson, OL/DL Jamin Wilson, TE/LB Dominique Jenkins, DB/WR Desmone McGougan, RB/DB Darius Doctor, OL/DL Raymond Wolpe.

OUTLOOK: With a solid base of returning talent, and two of the league heavyweights no longer in the region, this could be the year Garrett Tech moves up.

NOTES: Three of five starters on the offensive line return for the Falcons. Wilson, a 6-1, 250-pound senior, is a three-year starter.